Fence



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. 'H. SHEFFIELD.

FENCE.

No. 415,741. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

N: Pnsa, Phola-Lillm gnpher, washing. 0. c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. H. SHEFFIELD.

FENCE.

Patented Nov. 26, 1889'.v

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

IVILLIAM HENRY SHEFFIELD, OF ZIONSVILLE, INDIANA.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,741, dated November 26, 1889.

Application filed April 12, 1889. Serial No- 307,028. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HENRY SHEF- FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Zionsville, in the county of Boone and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fences, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in fences, consisting in a certain novel construe tion and combination of devices, fully described, hereinafter in connection with the drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fence embodying the improvements. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the tension device. Fig. at is a similar view of the clip which engages the upper ends of sides a a of which are bent out-ward at their lower free ends and bolted to the anchor-plate B, which is embedded in the ground.

0 designatesthe wires, which extend between the parallel sides of the end post, and are connected at their ends to the tension devices D D, which consist of a casting pro- 'vided in its front side with a vertical slot or recess (Z, in which is mounted the reel (1', adapted to be turned by a wrench, a pawl (Z being arranged to engage a ratchet on the reel to prevent its rotation in a reverse direction. The casting is provided on its rear side with the parallel vertical flanges E E, which pass on opposite sides of the post and hold the tension device in position.

The brace for the improved fence consists of a horizontal foot-bar F, which extends at one end between the sides of the post, and is provided at the other end with a hook or upturned portion fand the double-inclined brace G, having the side bars g g, which are engaged at their lower ends in the hook or upturned portion of the foot-bar, and are secured at their upper ends to the post. The foot-bar is preferably formed of a flat bar, which extends between the sides of the post and is engaged beyond the same by a transverse bolt f, and the free end of the bar is twisted or bent around to a horizontal or flat position to form a foot for the lower ends of the inclined bars to bear on. A sheet-metal clip H is arranged on the'inner side of the post at a suitable point, and is provided at its upper edge with the flange h, against which the upper ends of the inclined bars bear. The clip is held in place by a bolt h, and it may be arranged at any desired point of the post to suit the position and length of the brace-bars. The head of this bolt is flattened vertically between the upper ends of the brace-bars to hold them separate, and the bars are prevented from becoming displaced laterally by the downturned portions of the flange h.

I designates an intermediate post, which is provided at suitable intervals with staples or keepers through which the wires extend; and K K designate stays, also provided with loops k, through which the wires extend, whereby the latter are maintained at the proper intervals. These loopsare formed by fine tie-wires L,the central portions of which extend through perfortions in the stays, while the free ends are extended laterally and twisted around the wires 0 C on opposite sides of the stay. The stays are preferably flat, but may be formed of rods, as shown at M, and their lower ends are wired down to anchors N N, set in the ground, thereby obviating the necessity of frequent intermediate posts. The stays are passed alternately on opposite sides of the wires 0 C, as shown in, the drawings, to equalize the strain on the wires and braces and relieve the tie-wires of a portion of the strain.

The improved fence is simple and strong, is readily and quickly constructed, and may be cheaply manufactured.

Having thus described the invention, I claim- 1. The combination of the end post, the casting D, having the vertical flanges E on its rear side at its ends, adapted to embrace the sides of the post, the drums mounted in said castings, and the wires passing through the post and secured to the drums, as set forth.

2. In a fence, the clip H, provided on its rear side, at its upper edge, with the horizontal flange h, having downwardly-turned ends, as set forth.

3. The combination of the post, the foot F, secured thereto and projecting horizontally therefrom, the clip H, secured to the post and having the flange h, provided with downwardly-turned ends, and the braces having their lower ends resting against the end of the foot 1c F and their upper ends resting against the flange h and the doWnWardly-turned ends of the same, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ai'iixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

\VILLIAM HENRY SHEFFIELD.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM T. LATTA, WILHBALDT ENGELHARDT. 

